This invention relates to a vehicle-mounted equipment carrier, such as a bicycle rack, and more particularly to a system for providing quick and easy movement of a component of an equipment carrier between an operative position and an inoperative position.
A vehicle-mounted equipment carrier, such as a bicycle rack, typically includes a base that is mounted to the vehicle and a support component that is mounted to the base and is configured to support the item of equipment. The support component is typically in the form of a support member or arm that is movable between a raised, operative position for supporting the item of equipment, and a lowered, inoperative position for storage or when the carrier is mounted to the vehicle but not in use. In a common configuration, a support arm of the equipment carrier is pivotably mounted to a transverse member of the carrier, for movement between the raised, operative position and the lowered, inoperative position. An engagement member is interconnected with the support arm and the transverse member, and is movable between an engaged position and a release position. The engagement member interacts with the transverse member and the support member for maintaining the support member in either the operative position or in the inoperative position. Representatively, the engagement member may be in the form of a manually operable knob having a threaded shaft that is engaged with a threaded passage in the transverse member of the carrier. The threaded shaft extends through an opening in the support member, and defines the pivot axis about which the support member is movable between the raised, operative position and the lowered, inoperative position. The end of the transverse member includes positioning structure, such as channels or the like, which receive the support member and are configured to position the support member in either the operative position or the inoperative position. With this construction, the threaded shaft must be relatively long in order to provide sufficient extension to allow the support member to clear the positioning structure for moving the support member between the operative and inoperative positions, while maintaining engagement of the threaded shaft within the threaded passage in the transverse member. The user must repeatedly rotate the knob in order to back the knob away from the transverse member so as to provide sufficient clearance to enable movement of the support member, which is an inconvenient and time consuming operation.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an engagement system for a movable component of a vehicle-mounted equipment carrier, which enables the component to be quickly and easily moved between an operative position and an inoperative position, and then engaged in the desired position. It is a further object of the invention to provide such an engagement system which operates in a manner similar to the prior art, yet eliminates the need to make a large number of rotations of an engagement member so as to move the engagement member between an engaged position and a release position. It is a further object of the invention to provide such an engagement system which is easy to use and provides the ability to rapidly convert an equipment carrier from a storage configuration to a use configuration. A still further object of the invention is to provide such an engagement system which is relatively simple in its components and construction, yet which provides positive and secure engagement of the support member in either the operative or inoperative position.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle-mounted equipment carrier includes a base to which a support member of the carrier is mounted for movement between an operative position and an inoperative position. The carrier further includes an engagement member that is movable between a release position for providing movement of the support member between the operative and inoperative positions, and an engaged position for engaging the support member with the base so as to maintain the support member in either the operative position or the inoperative position.
The base preferably includes positioning structure with which the support member is engaged, and which is operable to place the support member in either the operative position or the inoperative position. In one form, the positioning structure comprises channel structure on an end defined by a transverse member forming a part of the base.
The engagement member is manually movable between the engaged and release positions by a combination engagement arrangement which provides movement of the engagement member between the engaged position and an intermediate position via a threaded connection that causes movement of the engagement member upon rotation of the engagement member, and which provides movement of the engagement member between the intermediate position and the release position via a sliding connection arrangement by which the engagement member is moved by application of an axial force to the engagement member. The engagement member includes a manually operable knob having an axial member, which may be in the form of a shaft, secured to and extending from the knob. The transverse member of the base includes a threaded opening, and the shaft of the engagement member extends through the support member into the opening in the transverse member. The shaft of the engagement member includes a threaded section which engages the threads provided at the opening so as to provide threaded movement of the knob toward and away from the transverse member between the engaged position and the intermediate position upon rotation of the knob. The shaft of the engagement member further includes an unthreaded section located outwardly of the threaded section, and the transition between the unthreaded section and the threaded section of the shaft defines the location of the intermediate position during movement of the engagement member toward and away from the positioning structure of the transverse member. The shaft of the engagement member also includes an end section that engages the transverse member when the engagement member attains a predetermined axial outward position, beyond the release position, relative to the transverse member upon axial outward movement of the engagement member. The end section of the engagement member shaft contacts the transverse member when the engagement member reaches the predetermined axial outward position, to act as a stop and to maintain the connection of the engagement member with the transverse member. The end section of the shaft may include threads that engage the threaded opening in the transverse member, to enable the shaft of the engagement member to be easily engaged with and disengaged from the transverse member by rotation of the engagement member relative to the transverse member.
The invention contemplates an equipment carrier having a movable support member that is secured in operative and inoperative positions via operation of an engagement member, as summarized above, as well as an improvement in an equipment carrier and a method of selectively maintaining a movable component of an equipment carrier in either an operative position or an inoperative position, also substantially in accordance with the foregoing summary.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.